Utilization of dissolved organic phosphorus by different groups of phytoplankton taxa

► Utilization of dissolved organic phosphorus by phytoplankton taxa was studied. ► The flagellate taxa grew well under varieties of DOP compounds. ► The diatom Skeletonema costatum could use only AMP and GMP. ► The nucleotide compounds had high nutrient value for the growth of algal cells. ► Alexandrium tamarense and Chattonella marina could endure nutrient depletion. The utilization of nine dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) compounds by five bloom-causing phytoplankton species was studied under batch culture conditions. The DOP compounds included were adenosine 5-triphosphate (ATP), adenosine 5-monophosphate (AMP), cytidine 5-monophosphate (CMP), guanosine 5-monophosphate (GMP), uridine 5-monophosphate (UMP), glucose-6-phosphate (G6P), sodium glycerophosphate (GYP), 4-nitrophenyl phosphate (NPP), and triethyl phosphate (TEP), and the phytoplankton taxa were Skeletonema costatum, Prorocentrum micans, Alexandrium tamarense, Chattonella marina, and Heterosigma akashiwo. The four flagellate taxa, P. micans, A. tamarense, C. marina, and H. akashiwo, grew well under various DOP regimes. P. micans and C. marina were the most capable of using DOP compounds, sustaining better growth on a majority of nucleotides (ATP, AMP, CMP, GMP, and UMP) and phosphomonoesters (G6P and GYP) than in inorganic phosphorus (P) controls. A. tamarense and H. akashiwo showed equivalent growth in most organic and inorganic P cultures, while the diatom species, S. costatum, could only utilize AMP and GMP. Furthermore, A. tamarense and C. marina could endure N, P-depleted conditions. Among the nine DOP compounds tested, the nucleotide compounds had the highest nutritional value for algal cell growth, while TEP could not sustain growth as the sole source of P. These results suggest that enhanced DOP utilization and the endurance of nutrient-limitation by harmful flagellate taxa offer their competitive advantages, which may account for the frequent occurrence of their blooms in coastal waters.